Share:

An important part of preparing your home for winter includes prepping your windows and doors to avoid drafts, leaks, and poor insulation when the cold weather arrives. Failing to do so will cost you money on heating bills and force your furnace to work harder to warm your home. To help you get ready for the upcoming weather, Murphy Home Improvement in Cincinnati, OH, has provided some tips to help you prepare your windows and doors for winter.

Preparing Your Doors & Windows for Winter’s Chill

Check Weatherstripping

Weatherstripping around windows and doors plays an important role for your home, especially during winter. It keeps the cold weather out and the warmth in when you need it. Having effective weatherstripping will help to prevent heat from escaping, saving you 10% to 15% on your energy bills. Before the cold weather arrives, you should check the weatherstripping of your doors and windows for any open spots that could allow heat to escape. If necessary, you may need to replace it.

Check for Leaks

doorsLeaks can happen on any side of your windows or doors and can be quite costly, as they allow heat to escape and cold air to enter. To ensure that you don’t have any areas where caulking has failed, start with a visual inspection. Look for any daylight sneaking in on the sides, a sign that there is a gap that could allow heat to escape. For gaps that are too small to notice visually, you can hold a lit incense stick to the edges and look for any changes in the direction of the smoke. If there are any gaps in your windows or doors, you should reapply caulking to ensure heat won’t start flowing outside.

Inspect Windows & Doors for Cracks or Broken Glass

The most likely place to have heat escape and cold air enter is through gaps between your windows or doors and the wall, but that’s not the only spot. Air doesn’t need much room to get through, so the smallest of cracks or broken glass could result in losing heat. Inspecting your windows and doors to ensure that there are no cracks that the air could get through will confirm that you’ll be warm this winter.

If you have any gaps in your windows or doors, it could allow heat to escape and cold air to enter. This will result in you paying more on your energy bills and still being colder during the upcoming season. If you find any problems that need repairing before the cold weather arrives, Murphy Home Improvement has been serving Cincinnati’s renovation and repair needs for over 30 years. For more information, call (513) 922-8989 or visit their website.

tracking